Lumber-piler.



F. O. WERDEN.

LUMBER FILER. APPLICATIO! FILED SEPT. 6, 191a.

Patent-ed June 18, 1918.

2 SHEETS-*SHEET l.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FREDERICK 0. WERDEN, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

Patented June s, 1918.

LUMBER-FILER. I

1 69,987. Specification of Letters Patent.

application illed september 6, 1916. Serial 1T0. 118,674.

To all whom it may concern:

' This invention Be it known that I, FnnnnmoxO. Wnnnmv,

from dropping off the sprockets when changes are belng made in thelength of the a citizen of the United States, residing at chain, and

Philadelphia in the county of Philadelphia Pi and State of Pennsylvama,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Lumber-Pilers, ofwhich the following is a specification.

relates to a new and improved device for piling lumber and isparticularly adapted to be used when the stack has reached a height whenit is-inconvenient to continue the piling by manual labor.

The object of this invention is the provision of a tripod or derrickwhich is at all times balanced and which may be readily moved from placeto place as occasion requires.

A further object is the provision of a novel adjusting mechanism wherebythe derrick can be vertically extended. With these objects in view andothers, as will appear as the description proceeds, the inventioncomprises the various novel features of construction and arrangement ofparts which will be more fully described hereinafter and set forth withparticularity in the claims appended hereto.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate thepreferred embodimentof the invention,

Figure 1 is a front view of the device in elevation, showing a sectionextended,

Fig. 2 is a side view of the device,

Fig. 3 is a detail view of a section of the chain, showing projection orcarrier,

Fig. 4 is a detail view of the rocking arm or knuckle, and

Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view of a gearing on line 55 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is a front elevation of the device, in section, illustrating indetail the means employed for" preventing the sprockets and bracket fromlateral movement on the up per shaft and the lateral movement ofsprockets on the lower shaft.

Fig. 7 is a detail sectional view of the steel tubing used in theconstruction of the standards.

Fig. 8 is a detail view illustrating a motor in operative position onthe device.

Fig. 9 is a sectional view of a lockin device used to maintain theelevation o the device.

Fig. 10 is a sectional view illustratin the means employed forpreventing the ain 11 is a side view of the bracket on the ront railsupporting the journal for the lower shaft.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout thedrawings.

Referring to the drawings,-A' solid base preferably rectangular in form,consisting of a rear rail 10 and a front rail 43, firmly connectedtogether by cross-arms and the bolsters 45, is mounted on any suitableconveyance, as here illustrated on the axles 12 of the wheels 11. Bymeans of said bolsters 45 the front rail 43 is elevated slightly abovesaid rear rail 10.

A tongue 13 is fastened to the axle 12 by means of eye bolts. Mounted onthe cross arms connecting the said front and rear rails are fifthwheels. A novel provision of this device are these wheels, by the use ofwhich the machine can be turned in its own length and moved in anydirection by the locking of one or the other of said fifth -wil1 benecessary to turn the machine is when it is desired to pile on theopposite side of the lumber alley.

Standards 14 are secured to the front rail 43, which is firmly securedto the rocking arms or knuckles 29, which in turn are securely fastenedto the bolsters 45. These standards 14 are constructed. of steel tubingadapted to receive the extendible sections 15. These extendible sections15 are made of suitable material and are preferably solid. By the use ofthese extensions this machine can be constructed to carry lumberverticallyfrom 5 feet to 40 feet.

A standard or hoisting bar 16, comprising the same material as thestandards 14, and extending to about the same height, is firmly securedby means of suitable olts, to the rear rail 10, and has an extendiblebar or rack 17, of the same length as said hoisting bar 16, milled tofit pinion 34 as shown in ,Fig. 5, and is firmly secured at its top tothe horizontal shaft 23, by means of the hoisting bar bracket 17" asillustrated in fumber conveyin chains 18, bein endless chains areriveted together in sections as particularly illustrated in Fi 3. Saidchain is riveted together in suita le lengths to make, by the additionor subtraction, of a section, an elevation or lowering of the wholecomprising 5 feet, which is a suitable deviation of height to make itconvenient,' at its highest point, for workmen to remove the lumber fromthe receivers readily. These sections are bolted together and can bereadily placed in position to change the elevation of the standards 14.At regular intervals on the chains, and integral therewith, projectionsor carriers 19, are rovided, WlllCh act as carriers for the 111m er.These carriers can be made in any length desired according to thelengtlhl of link used.

The very obvious reason for making thes chains riveted in sections is sothat the chains will be absolutely the same length and the boltedconnection of the sections will always bring the carriers directlyopposite each other, as is necessary, and will maintain the same lengthof chain and the same tension no matter how many sections are added toor taken from the whole.

A receiver, consisting of receiving arms 20, of suitable materialsecurely bolted to the extending standards 15 is for the purpose ofreceiving the lum er as the conveyers, or hoisting chains, 18, throwsaid lumber over the sprockets 22. These receiving arms are placed onthe outside of stand ards 15 on either side, thus the lumber arrives onsaid arms within easy reach of the worlnnen and is at all timesperfectly balanced relieving the workmen from the laborious part ofbalancing the lumber preparatory to laying it on a pile as will be veryapparent to any manufacturer of lumber; this being a fact it istherefore obvious that the workmen can and will handle a much greateramount of lumber than is possible by the old mode of piling. Similarreceiving arms 21 are made of suitable form and material, as shown inFig. 2, and are bolted in like manner as the arms 20 to the standards15, so that the workmen by sliding the lumber down these arms will placethe said lumber on the carriers 19 on conveyers, at a point, where theconveyors, being reversed in their motion, will convey the lumber overthe sprockets 22 and allow the lumber to be lowered as readily as it waspreviously shown the same could be elevated.

Sprockets 22, known as idlers, are mounted loosely on the horizontalshaft 23. This allows, in the elevation of the standards, the

adjustment and equalizing of the tension of the conveyers at any and allpoints of elevation, which is very essential to the proper workin of thedevice.

Brae ets 58 are secured to the standards 15, asillustrated. Securedto-said brackets 58, in any suitable manner, are boxes or journals 59for the shaft 23, one on either side of each standard. Said sprockets 22are positioned between said journals 59 and are provided with hubs 61 ofsuch length that they fit snugly against the said journals 59, wherebythey act as collars by means of which they maintain their positions onthe said shaft 23. This construction prevents lateral movement of saidsprockets 22 on said shaft 23. This construction is particularlyillustrated in Fig. 6.

Collars 23 are secured by set screw 23 or pin on either side of hoistingbar bracket 17*, thus rigidly holding the said shaft 23 in position atall times.

Sprockets 25, are secured to the shaft 26, and may be secured by key,pin or set screw, and are for the purpose of moving the chain conveyersin either direction.

A shaft 26 is journaled in boxes 63 on either side of said sprockets 25.These sprockets 25 have hubs 62, of similar construction to hubs 61heretofore described, so' that they fit snugly against the boxes orjournals 63 and act as collars so as to maintain their position on theshaft 26. Said journals 63 are suitably secured on said shaft by meansof brackets 24, securely fastened to the front rail 43 one on eitherside of the standards 14. This construction, which is fully illustratedin Fig. 6, prevents lateral movement of said sprockets 25 on said shaft26. A handle 28 on end of shaft 26 to actuate the sprockets, is shown.

Rocking arms or knuckles 29 are provided as shown in detail in Fig. 4.These knuckles 29 consist of two parts, being cut away as shown to givethem suflicient swing to allow them to act as knuckle joints. The axisof these knuckles is a shaft, bolt 29*, or rivet passing through the twoparts allowing the upper section to attain any angle that its dutiesshould require. The bottom portion of this knuckle is securely fastenedto the bolster 45. The top or up er portion of said knuckle 29 issecurely astened to the front rail 43. Therefore it is apparent that nomatter what the elevation of the standards may be, said front rail mustof necessity tilt itself either at one angle or another according to theheight of the device. With the brackets, boxes and shaft all bein firmlysecured to said rail 43 it is obvious t at at any elevation of thedevice the shaft, sprockets and the motive power, of any kind, fastenedto said rail, will at all times be in perfect balance.

The hoisting bar or rack 16 and its extendible section 17 are operatedby means of a perpendicular shaft 32 which is secured to standard 16 bymeans of brackets 46 thereon as illustrated.

A bevel gear 30 is securely fastened to shaft 33 and is in mesh with alike bevel gear 31, which is securely fastened to the perpendicularshaft 32. The function of said bevel gear is to elevate and lower thesection 17.

A (guy rod 35, extends from upper part of stan a rd 16, to which itis'secured in any suitable manner, down to a permanent bracket as shownat 40, and being gral part at the base of hoisting ar 16, as shownclearly in Fig. 2, has a tendency of retaining the perfect rigidity ofsaid hoisting bar 16 and its inte a1 parts.

It is obvious that with the lmuckles 29 secured to the bolsters 45 whichconnect the front and rear rails, and the two standards 14 being securedto the front rocker rail 43, in the manner illustrated, and the standard16 being rigidly secured to the rear rail 10, and su ported by the guyrod '35, and the extendi le sections 15 and 17 bein firmly secured attheir common apex on t e horizontal shaft 23, by the means heretoforerecited, that the equilibrium of the device is maintained at any height,the knuckles 29 keeping the standards 14 at all times in alinement andbalance.

An additional bracket 47 as shown clearly in Fig. 5 .acts as a journalbearing for sha 33, with a pinion 34 securely fastened to said shaft 33.Said pinion 34 is operatively secured to the standard 16.

The numeral 36 represents a bevel gear securely fastened to bottom ofshaft 32 and is in mesh with a like bevel gear 37 which is firmlyfastened to shaft 49 by means of bracket 48, which is a two-way bracketand acts as journal boxes for said shaft 49. Secured to'said shaft 49 isthe hoisting wheel 38. It is apparent that by the operation of gears 30and 31, 36 and 37, shaft 32, together with the pinion 34, the extendingrack 17 may be raised or lowered by turning the wheel in eitherdirection.

A locking device, comprising a square piece of metal 56 has the slottedportion 56. This slotted portion 56 is slipped over the shaft 49, saidshaft 49 being flat on its four sides, when the desired elevation of thedevice is had and a leg or portion of said slotted portion is thusforced against the stand- I ard 16, securely maintaining said elevation.

The numeral 50 represents a supporting ribbon, of suitable material andpermanently fastened to the standards 14, at their upper part, for thepurpose of holding said standards at their top height the exact width ofsame at their lower ends, and having guy rods 39 fastened at either endextending down to and being securely fastened on front rail 43 asillustrated, their function being the support, if necessary, of thestandards 14.

Guides 42 and 42' short in length are provided on the upper part of theextendible sections 15 and like guides 41 and 41 are proan intevided onthe lower part of the standards 14,

as illustrated, for the proper guiding of thechains to the sprocketteeth; guides 41 and 41 having f0r a further purpose the prevent1on ofcrowdlng the chains off the standards 14 by the workmen when placinglum-' her on the carriers.

Mode of operation.

With the derrick in place, the lumber is brought by any method ofconveyance and dumped in a pile in front of the standards 14, saidstandards being placed about 5 or 5% feet apart which would provide theproper width of the chains for any lumber 6 feet and longer in length. Aworkman,

or workmen, places the lumber on the carr1er 19. -The motive power maybe of any suitable kind, but having a reversible 'fea-.

.rail 43, as illustrated, without interfering with the equilibrium ofthe device. The handle is turned to the right causing conveyer to travelupward and over sprockets 22 and deposit the lumber, perfectly balanced,at the hand of the workman, at the top of pile on the receiving arms 20.These receiving arms 20 extend over the face of the ile to any lengthrequired or desired whic would provide and allow a pile to be madeperpendicular in front or whatis termed over-shot. In the latter caseoperator would start 'pile at any point farther away from the base ofmachine that would provide for the desired amount of over-shot in faceof ile.

As prevlously explained, when the pile has advanced to a height thatmakes it inconvenient for the workmen to take the lumber from receiver,additional sections of chain are added, each section making an extensionof 5 feet. This is effected by breaking the chain, by the removal of onebolt on each side and the addition of another bolt to the sectioninserted. The wheel 38 is then turned causing the whole derrickstandards to become extended to the added length of chain and so onuntil the desired helght of 1pile is attained.

When making t e change in the length of the chain, as above described,the insertion It is thought to be advisable to paint the carriers 19 insaid chains which are controlled by bolt connections, a'brlght color, sothat they may be readily dlscermble when stopping machine at a properpoint to readily make the connection. The extra chains will be placedwithin suitable reach readily at hand so as to expedlte any change ofelevation.

I do not restrict myself to the exact details of construction,combination and arrangement herein set forth, it being obvious thatminor variations thereof not involving the exercise of invention may bemade by the skilled mechanic, and such departure from what is hereindescribed and claimed .not

involving invention I consider as within the sco e and terms of myclaims.

aving thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

'1. In a lumber piler, the combination with a solid base, of a frontrocker rall and a fixed rear rail, paralleling each other, secured tosaid base,'extendible standards secured to said front rocker rail, astandard rigidly secured. to said fixed rear rail intermediate of thestandards on said front rail, an extendible rack bar operatively securedto said intermediate standard, means for extending said extendiblestandards and said rack bar, a horizontal shaft journaled in saidextendible standards and rack bar,

bolsters, knuckles secured to said bolsters and to said front railprovidingmeans to maintain the equilibrium of the device of variousheights and means for maintaining the elevation of said extensiblestandards at various heights. I

2. In a lumber piler, the combination with a base, preferablyrectangularin form, of front and rear rails secured thereto, extendiblestandards mounted on said front rail, an intermediate standard rigidlymounted on said rear rail, an extendible rack bar operatively secured tosaid intermediate standard, means for extending said extendiblestandards and said rack bar, bolsters, rocker arms secured firmly tosaid bolsters and to said front rail, so that in conjunction with therigidity of the intermediate standard on said rear rail, said rail beinconnected to the o posite portions of sai bolsters, a balance device isprovided for various heights.

3. In a lumber piler, the combination with a solid base, of a front anda rear rail secured thereto, a plurality of standards mounted on saidfront rail, said standards being adapted to receive extendible sections,extendible sections, preferably solid, a horizontal shaft journaled onsaid extendible sections at their upper ends, a standard rigidly mountedon said rear rail, intermediate of said standards on said front rail,

, ering of the device ma bolsters, rocker arms secured to said bolstersand to said front rail, said intermediate standard extending verticallyabout the same =hei ht as the standards on the front rail an beingadapted to receive an extendible rack, an extendible rack o rativelysecured to said intermediate standzrd, a vertical shaft suitably securedto said intermediate standard, a pinion o erativel connected to saidshaft said exten 'blc rac bein milled to fit said inion, a bracketsecure to said horizonta shaft, said extendible rack being secured tosaid bracket and means for rotating said'vertical shaft.

4. In a lumber piler, the combination with a solid base, of a front anda rear rail secured thereto, a plurality of upwardly extending standardsmounted in spaced relation on said front rail, said standards havingextendible sections, a horizontal shaft journaled in said extendiblestandards, a standard mounted on said rear rail interme diate of'saidstandards on said front rail having an extendible rack, a bracket onsaid rack in which said horizontal shaft is also journaled, collarssecured rigidly 'on said horizontal shaft to prevent lateral movement ofsaid brackets, a vertical shaft, brackets secured on said intermediatestandard and in which said vertical shaft is journaled, earingoperatively secured to opposite en ofsaid vertical shaft, a pinionoperable by the up or gearing, said extendible rack bein milled to fitsaid pinion,

providing means or the elevation or low-' ering of said extendiblesections of standards on the front rail and said extendible rack on theintermediate standard and means for maintaining the elevation ofsaidstandards.

5. In a lumber piler, the combinationwith a solid base, of front andrear rails thereon a plurality of standards on said front ra' havingextendible sections, means for elevating and lowering said sections,'ashaft journaled in said sections, said standards. and their extendiblesections providing supports for a lumber conveyer, a lumber-conveyeroperable over said shaft comprising chain links riveted together to formsections, said sections being bolted together to form an endless chain,so that by the addition or subtraction of a sectionan elevation or lowbepermitted and means for holding sai chain in position when additions orsubtractions are being made thereto.

6. In a lumber piler, the combination with a solid base, of front andrear rails thereon, a plurality of standards on said front rail havingextendible sections, means for elevating and lowering said sections, ahorizontal shaft journaled in said sections, said standards and theirextendible sections providing supports for a lumber conveyer, a

lumber conveyer comprising chain links riveted together to formsections, said sections being bolted together to form endless chains, ahorizontal shaft journaled on said front rail and connected to asuitable source of power, sprockets secured to said shaft and actuatedthereby, idler sprockets loosely mounted on the upper horizontal shaft,said conveyer chain eing mounted on said s rockets, brackets secured tosaid extendib e sections,journals secured to saidbrackets and on saidhorizontal shafts, said sprockets bein provided with hubs, said hubsfitting snug y against said journals thereby reventin lateral movementof said sproc ets on sai shafts and means secured to said exifiendiblesections to receive the lumber, either or 111' 'ng or returmn' g.

7 In a lumber piler, the combination with a solid base, of front andrear rails thereon a plurality of standards on said front ra' havingextendible sections, means for elevat' and lowering said sections, ahorizon shaft journaled in said sections, said standards and theirextendible sections providing supports for a lumber conveyer, a lumberconveyer comprising chain links riveted together to form sections, saidsections being bolted together to form endless chains, 3. horizontalshaft journaled on said front rail and provided with a gear, a platformsecured to said front rail provi a base, a motor on said base providedwit a gear which meshes with the gear on said horizontal shaft to rotatesaid shaft, sprockets secured to said shaft and actuated thereby, idlersprockets loosely mounted on the upper horizontal shaft said conveyerchain, bein mounted on said sprockets, brackets secur to said extendiblesections, journals secured to said brackets and on said horizontalshafts, said sprockets being provided with hubs, said hubs fittingsnugly against said journals thereby preventing lateral movement of saidsprockets on said shafts and means secured to said standards and theirextendible sections for said chains to the said sprockets an for t erevention of crowding the said chains 0 the said standards.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FREDERICK O. WERDEN. Witnesses: MArmoN VAN Boosxmx,

E. M. BOWEN.

